The Haunted Hotel: A Mystery of Modern Venice

  'Doctor Bruno's evidence ends here.

  'Reverting for a moment to our inquiries addressed to Lady Montbarry,we have to report that she can give us no information on the subject ofthe letter which the doctor posted at Lord Montbarry's request. Whenhis lordship wrote it? what it contained? why he kept it a secret fromLady Montbarry (and from the Baron also); and why he should write atall to the wife of his courier? these are questions to which we find itsimply impossible to obtain any replies. It seems even useless to saythat the matter is open to suspicion. Suspicion implies conjecture ofsome kind--and the letter under my lord's pillow baffles allconjecture. Application to Mrs. Ferrari may perhaps clear up themystery. Her residence in London will be easily discovered at theItalian Couriers' Office, Golden Square.

  'Having arrived at the close of the present report, we have now to drawyour attention to the conclusion which is justified by the results ofour investigation.

  'The plain question before our Directors and ourselves appears to bethis: Has the inquiry revealed any extraordinary circumstances whichrender the death of Lord Montbarry open to suspicion? The inquiry hasrevealed extraordinary circumstances beyond all doubt--such as thedisappearance of Ferrari, the remarkable absence of the customaryestablishment of servants in the house, and the mysterious letter whichhis lordship asked the doctor to post. But where is the proof that anyone of these circumstances is associated--suspiciously and directlyassociated--with the only event which concerns us, the event of LordMontbarry's death? In the absence of any such proof, and in the faceof the evidence of two eminent physicians, it is impossible to disputethe statement on the certificate that his lordship died a naturaldeath. We are bound, therefore, to report, that there are no validgrounds for refusing the payment of the sum for which the late LordMontbarry's life was assured.

  'We shall send these lines to you by the post of to-morrow, December10; leaving time to receive your further instructions (if any), inreply to our telegram of this evening announcing the conclusion of theinquiry.'